


Vaxerica Origins

by 16johnsjes



Category: Legion (2010), Original Work, Supernatural
Genre: Drama & Romance, F/M, Gen, Medevil, Mystery Stories, Other, Romance, Supernatural - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-07
Updated: 2015-02-15
Packaged: 2018-02-24 10:15:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2577890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/16johnsjes/pseuds/16johnsjes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One angel took a oath, to protect the innocent at all cost. To gods created a feud that started off an age old cycle of vengeance and redemption. Each cycle has its rapture and now this age will have its. Man burns down all before them, destroying what they don't deem worthy. The elves hide within the last of their walls, and dwarves never come out of their mountains old and deep. It seems the heavens cannot contain the darkness that is coming but, one angel and demonic god take a stand. Bound together by circumstance not choice, what are two vastly different beings to do when all souls look to them for light and guidance? She took a vow: "I would fall not for pride, vanity or greed but, for justice, liberty, and free will. To protect the innocent, give voice to the silent, and stand for the broken." How many will die marching to the drums of war, how far will mere men go to in act their  revenge?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prolog Part 1

**Prolog Part 1**

**Urisin War**

* * *

 

         

The back ranks were no more sought after or safer than the front. Each would meet their fair share of the monstrosity war. Each angel shifting to align perfectly in place to the sound of a marching drum, all with one thought upon their minds, cast the deceiving snake out into the pit of hell. It was a simple yet, interestingly enough complex alignment of rank and skill. The lowest, or the disposables at the back protecting the flank of their officers which in turn, protected the seven royals of Lelin, heaven. While all did their holy duty without question all where sad at the actions orders bid them to do. Today was either the slaughter of the eight royal or the exile, either ending in pain throughout many. Here on the Urisin desert brothers prepared to stain the sarah sand red.

 

Jessie shifted her weight from foot to foot, restless, anxious, for death that was sure to come. Fear from inexperience and the lack of perceiving what was to come in war flooded through her senses in heavy waves drowning out any other present thoughts. She was among the disposables, the lowest of the low a mere foot solider, not much good in the whole with the exception of doing the dirty work for those who refused to taint or tarnish their hands. The air itself stilled, filled with the sickening thick tension of trillions beneath the beginnings of a angry growling storm rolling in the over cast. Pebbles shook and bounced around, never having the chance to fully settle, as the gritty sand was pounded, roaring to with the sound of war.

 

Two thoughts, two systems, two fundamental ideals preparing to clash. Like a polished yin and yang trinket or pendant, the light side, backed by the wraith of their god Ideion and his dogs believed that the mortal's realm should continue to be bathed in suffering and pain, for in pain came wisdom, knowledge to be gained. While the fallen, demonic echoes of once lively angelic comrades, believed there was no need of death and or suffering of any kind. Ideion did not accept the fallen's view so in turn they became the one they each personally viewed a fault in his system. Standing there on the opposite side of the battle field, as the opposed, the fallen where an insult just being as they where corrupted, vengeful, rebellious, blackened down to the core essence of their soul. Their veins once a symbol of purity and hope dripped like poison ivy. Eyes rung hollow and cold, inversed in color, creating a chilled haunting aura to them. The fallen remained angelic in form but, paled in comparison to their former glory. Faces twisted into unmasked calmness in a disturbingly creepy way. Fangs dully glinted in the dim lighting of the storm, verging on the destructive power of a hurricane, as the fallen all shared a moment of silence before all chaos erupted among the founding sands of the Urisin desert.

 

Jessie was momentarily struck oddly still at the gory scene surrounding her. Swords, wings, sharpened talons, all dueling for dominion over one another. Flashes of familiar faces all blurring by in a frantic haze. She pulled her daggers from the straps of her boots and hips, taking flight with a powerful thrust. Losing her soul to the throws of war, she wasn't trained to kill, she intended to survive. Muscles where taunt, tense, pulling at the maximum limit. She didn't think, she just did, and did so without a sliver of mercy to be shown towards her turncoat comrades. Blood was matted in clots within her braided hair and mocha wings, some of its rich crimson color ran freely along her gauntlets, boots, and chest plate carving its own path through the sand and caked grit. Jessie's face was cold to the cruel ringing of death, of slaughter she felt wrong despite the clear logic. The ring of the first high royal Michael's sword Reignig, truth, rang loudly every time it hit against hell's jagged steel.

 

She twisted mid air, using the spiral movement, to give herself a birds eye view f the battlefield. Time seemed to be slowed down, almost freezing, when her keen eyes zeroed in like scopes on the royal Raphael. He was fighting valiantly but, doomed to lose eventually with a painfully obvious wound dripping onto his white robe staining the left side red. He was favoring that side considerably, affecting his stance, making the unusual red headed male, vulnerable to the sword aiming true to its target the beating heart of the healer. She didn't know what compelled her heavy wings and arms to flail faster, other than a sworn sense of duty interbred into her since her creation. Her muscles and formed moved steadily faster, even though time came to a rapid stop it seemed, and before the moment the dark glittering blade met its intended target she jumped within the way taking the blunt of the blow. She felt her armor, forged of the finest quality, give way pierced like it was nothing more than a common aluminum can. Shredding the armor, leather weaving, and chain mail, and eventually flesh with ease. It was a stinging tearing pain, the pain of war, like no other.

 

Staggering back, she looked like a stuck chicken, a sword nearly hilt deep in her abdomen the tip all the way through her flesh brushing against the fine downy feather resting against her leather clad back side. Everything was ringing, that's all she heard the clashing of steel upon steel and the screams of both sides wiped out by the ringing. Raphael mouthed words but, they fell upon deafened ears. In the shock of the moment she just stood still as her life's essence fled away, pooling around her feet and running down onto her strongly clenched hands, the skin of her knuckles a pale pasty white with the tension coiled within them. In a way she wanted to die, to escape the many forced inflicted horrors upon her but, not this way, kneeling on her knees wounded as she gasped pulling the poisoned weapon out. With a splash of crimson red the slick black steel clattered against the light beige sand. Everything was slow, hazed, like in a drunken induced hallucination.

 

She remembered on last a thought, an incident that earned her to the right of Aurius. Each angel was essentially two beings synced together into one life, one soul together yet, forever separate in the same. There was Twan the angelic essence that determined their features and essentially the image the Lelin Imperial public saw and then the Tian the opposing force. Tian was the soul strength, who they where, the animal side representing the best quality each had to offer in service. Tian was an untamed raw force, something only summoned upon accident or in desperate need. She felt something click in that one moment and even through her poison induced haze, she knew this was no hallucination. Helplessly, she to laid among the bodies of the dead, watching in awe as a great golden lion burst to her side, mane alit proudly in a golden-red light with was dwarfing the circumference of her face by inches, a great barrel chest rippling with layered iron muscles, and thundering roar that put any battle cry among the slaughter field to shame. She saw through her Tian's eyes, felt as though she fought along side his golden hide. This was her inner strength, in a sense he was the prowling lion, that hid in the now nearly dead, shell of this lowly ranking angel. At her command the Tian lion fought to protect Raphael as her angel form lie dying she was happy to know she did something worthy of honor a memorable passage. As she ;et that one last thought pass by a voice like slithering serpents entered her mind's eye, "Get up you're not dead yet, GET UP!."

 

The voice was commanding, ringing of ancient authority that could match Idieon's in a rage with surpassing ease. She was physically lifted back onto her own to feet and looking down she saw Aurius, the supposedly long lost sword of old times, in his darkened glory resting in her hand. The lion had faded back into her now, wounds had sealed up as though they never where, the battle raged on around, demonic entities against Lelin's finest. It didn't hurt when the dark matter, flames surrounding Aurius, entered through where her closed wounds where finishing healing, making her become one with death itself. As she lost herself to death, a sinister dark voice once again spoke chuckling in glee, "I arrest in you now, long have I waited for angel and man alike with strength worthy of bearing he power I've willingly given you. Even when my sword crumbles, my song will echo long after your immortal existence. Remember this when it is time."

 

**[What Was Seen]**

* * *

 

 

Darkness swirled around her form pulsing and reeking of decaying souls and death, it rolled and swiftly moved like smoke from a blazing fire, burning with the hatred of the dead, hatred of those murdered unjustly before her. Her eyes had taken on a new look, they where worse than the serpent's of the North, older with a certain calculating edge to the feline look. rich in golden color, the eyes of a lion. When she moved in this trance, it was a brief flash here and there , the only proof of her being the streaks of fire left behind not only this but, the pungent smell of vile and ripe things lingering after. She struck fear in the heart of the fallen themselves, quiet a feat to strike fear in twisted  beings that no longer possessed hearts incapable of feeling such emotions. How odd it must've been to feel fear when used to striking it, with no thought unto others. A roar was let out she showed her own fangs daring any demon to come closer to her or any at her side, respectfully they backed down, even foul creatures recognized a no win situation when it was present. They scampered back into the darkness, enveloped in it, becoming one with the darkness before completely disappearing from sight.

 

Fear was even present in her allies, her brothers and sisters, and while it wasn't a concise decision, in this moment she was casted the outcast, and exile with no consideration to her 'deeds'. This was all though with the exception of the royals, Raphael in specific. His braided red hair almost as red as they large bloody blotches staining his clothing. He, you could say at this point, had a case of hero worship then but, it was more than this, it was curiosity, gratitude, and a sense of owed loyalty towards his savior. What he refused to acknowledge yet so desperately wanted to ask to reassure himself, was why did she save him? It was more than a sense of duty surely, his natural ability as a healer was reading his patients, his gift told him this much at least. He saw it in her eyes, it was a purely instinctual act but, he could only wonder on, time would tell and he would know if he was meant to, maybe it was just a stroke fate or destiny?

 

After her intimidation act she just fell limp, Raphael barley catching her in time before she hit the ground with a dull thud. With a simple touch telepathic he knew of her name Vaxerica, she was limp as the freshly dead laying scattered in piles around. The other six royals simply walked, and shortly after, took flight next to their brother in arms not questioning the master healers intentions towards the new royal. It wasn't a joyous celebration when they returned, at least not for the ones returning from victory, especially for Gabriel who thoroughly disliked Vaxerica. His dislike was bred from envy, and a secret affection he was forced to endure because of status differences. It was forbidden for a royal to marry beneath them, and as they where all males marriage was out of the option until now. The punishment was clear the lower ranking being would be publicly executed as an example and the royal whipped forty one times in turn. This law was set for simple reasons, protection of the more valuable assets, they couldn't afford to be distracted. Not only was in not joyous for passion able reasons but, more secretive ones to. It wasn't well known that Aurius was meant to remained buried and forgotten, for the sword's properties where believed evil and indeed they where to an extent. It was feared that if the sword's wielder was tempted to the wrong side, disastrous reactions would come of it.

 


	2. Deep Beneath The Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are new unseen, perspective changes and goes. Like replacing and old pair of glasses you put new ones and the world changes before your eyes. Secrets come with deadly consequences, they say secrets can kill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow I had like a lot more hits than I was expected. Now I realize this is tagged in twilight but, really doesn't have much to do with it besides some possible vampire action later on. I would really appreciate any comments, even if they're just wow I liked or good. Suggestions are welcome to and greatly appreciated!

 

**Prolog**

**Part 2**

* * *

 

 

Raphael caught her, and he knew of her true name Vaxerica , as she went limp in his arms, like the freshly  dead in piles surrounding them. The other six royals simply walked along Raphael sending curious glances to the newcomer of their rank, shortly after taking flight along side Raphael, not questioning his motives.  It wasn't a joyous celebration upon the survivors return the horror of what was witnessed at the war painfully fresh and weighing heavy upon their minds. It was especially not joyous for the likes of Gabriel who thoroughly disliked Vaxerica. His dislike was bred from envy and jealousy, a secret affection his was forced to bottle up till it came to a head turning to near hatred because of status differences.  The mood was soured for more than passionate reasons but, more secretive ones to. It was only known among the royals that Aurous was never meant to be  remaining hidden, for the sword's properties where believed evil, and indeed they where to an extent but, mostly misunderstood. The royals feared that if the wielder fell into the wrong hands, and was tempted to the fallen's side, it would be another conflict of interest, and just coming out of one war there wasn't any more warriors or resources to spare. The fear was very real.

 

  When Vaxerica finally awoke to the world of the living she looked around, the medic tent great. Realizing Micheal and Raphael were also in the tent their backs turned to her she took the time to briefly study Micheal, before eavesdropping, this was the first time she had actually seen the general up close before. He was a blond with short cropped hair and platinum white wings to match, he wore a royal blue robe bearing a golden cross on the back side. Hearing a hitch in the conversation she quickly pretended to be back asleep, making a father convincing act, they went back to quietly talking.

 

"Raphael, she's your charge now being the only royal female of marriageable status she's bound to gain the others attention. And Raphael don't deny your affection, your' re a poor liar, it's in your eyes every time you glance the girls way or check her more than necessary for progress."

 

"Micheal I know better than to bother even trying to lie to you but, what of Gabriel? You know of his favor towards Vaxerica, he held a favor for her when she was still a mere student in training."

 

"Well what of him? I know of his fondness to and it doesn't surprise me, she has a cunning and fierce spirit for one so young, pay him no mind to his petty jealousy."

 

"Very well Micheal, I believe our new found friend has awoken."

 

Internally I groaned at his proclamation, this was going to be a new role and a challenging one at the that for myself. No longer was I the bottom coyote scavenging for the petty scraps, no now I was the new alpha wolf, the first female royal at that, no pressure. I started to sit up and expecting the pain I was thoroughly surprised to experience none, not even stiffness of fatigued muscles, the most surprising being at a quick check I discovered my wounds gone no scars as evidence they even happened and I could remember nothing besides gaining Aurius and feeling the comforting weight in my dominate sword wielding hand, the rest was black. Why could I remember nothing besides earning Aurius? Micheal as if hearing my questions out loud, simply supplied while helping me off the medic table and onto my own two unsteady feet, "Your' re the eight royal now, wielder of rapture and death, don't be amazed if the others are different if you now. Raphael is your guard now, you'll remain in his presence at all times am I clear?". 

 

"Very sir..er general."

 

Micheal cracker winning smile of pearly whites on his face, "It's just Micheal to you now."

 

With that being said Micheal left Vaxerica and Raphael Slone, words needed to be spoken but, neither of them really wanted to be the first to break the awkward silence that had taken place with Michael's absence. So she spoke up first, attempting to play this casual she leaned against the table she had been laying on, "Don't thank me or even ask why sensei healer, because honestly I don't know why. I just did, and I'd rather not discuss that at this present moment. What I truly wish to know is what happens? Why can't I remember anything?."

 

Raphael remained in silence just accepting the given answer, he smiled to himself full of spirit indeed, and then turned his attention to the questions answered, "It is not uncommon for amnesia to occur after ones Tran emerges. Yours was an interesting animal a male lion, unusual given your a female but, don't worry yourself over such matters the worlds mysteries are to just be accepted at times not questioned."

 

Vaxerica nodded in silent agreement, she turned then to the entrance of the medic ward tent she was given to rest in, flipping the white flap out of the way and coming to a stop at a stone balcony overlooking a hall that lead to one of the main four halls. Raphael watched her movements his green eyes almost stalking Vaxerica with his staring, she walked in a down trodden way, the clues where there in the way she was acting giving her internal conflict away. The smooth marble and granite under my finger tips, of the railing, was cool and relieving to the touch. No prying eyes currently around but, Raphael's and I was forced to endure his sense he was my personal guard in this moment. I couldn't get the images out of my head, the blood, just the sheer amount of it. All I  could see within my mind was the dying screams of both races, yes I had fought minor battles like scout s but, this war had been my first real taste of war. Why had Aurius chosen me? I was not strong, in fact I was better at picking off my targets with throwing daggers and arrows hidden in the shadows like a coward. I was disgusted at myself , at the war, I pulled my robe off tearing the perfect white fabric in the process throwing it violently on the ground in a fit, stomping on it in rebellion and then scattering away like it bit me. I let the tears free and slid down the balcony railing my hands on top of my head, my body trembling in tune with my panicked cries. Raphael's hands where on me trying to comfort but, only making matters worse, "Just don't touch me! Stop this hero worship, I don't want it from you, I don't want anything from you. Why? Why me?!." 

 

"Very well I see you don't require my assistance", Raphael bit out coldly his eyes narrowing in clear warning.

 

She replied back with venom, a voice to masculine and full of authority to be here, "LEAVE US!".

 

To say they where both equally shocked would've been a major understatement. It was interrupted though when Gabriel's distinct footsteps echoed down the secondary hall heading in their direction. Signaling the messenger's arrival Raphael took the torn robe she had stomped to death moments earlier bundled it up and tucked in behind some supplies, evidence of emotional struggle was erased. He quickly took her hand afterwards helping her to her feet, "Don't make mention of what happens better the errand boy remained clueless."

 

"I didn't plan to tell."

 

"Wisely chosen."

 

Raphael's persistence of her keeping the hidden though raised her suspicions that he was defiantly hiding something of importance but, for now she plastered on the fake smile and act , as if nothing had happened. Gabriel let out a toothy smile coming to the top of the stairs and approaching her only stopping when he was mere feet away. He wore casual civilian like clothes an unusual sight for him, his grey hair loose and cascading down his back and his long swallow like wings folded loosely and lowered in relaxation. In a creepy manner he outstretched his arms pulling Vaxerica in an unwilling embrace, on her part.  He let go after a few minutes of her standing stiff and rigid not responding to his touch, "I thought a welcome was do to our new comrade. Celebrations have started, why don't you join me for a few casks of Onto and a few dances... perhaps?."

 

To hue tied and nervously put on the spot Vaxerica just gaped opening and closing her mouth several times till Raphael came to her aide, sparing her last shreds of dignity," My patient is still feeling the effects of the battle, as her guard and head medical officer I think it best she stay here while I keep watch."

 

That wiped the smile clean off Gabriel's face to be filled with a jealous filled glare at Raphael, then quickly masked into almost believable cheeriness. He blinked and turned heading back towards the celebration of our, close, victory, and my joining of the royals. I turned to Raphael letting the warm breath I had been holding in out, Thanks but, I think we both no your hiding something, no good either. I saved your life so I think you could at least entrust your secret to me."

 

Raphael's eyes blunted in worry and he quickly searched around for prying ears, relaxing when none where to be seen within eye or hearing range. "Follow me."

 

"Lead the way secretive one."

 

I followed Raphael to the entrance if his personal quarters closing the thick and heavy oak door behind myself, the lock securing seconds after on his command.

The quarters where impressive with bold bulging arches and marble statues lining the lower ring in the domed ceiling. The rings becoming less protruding and closer together till reaching the top where they smoothed completely out. The statues life like eyes seemed to watch your every movement casting a eerie feeling about the spacey room. What really caught my eye though was the jungle of a herb garden in a protruding window seal and the desk ten paces in front of me staked piles high with books and papers, some lying messily in clutters under and beside the desk. Raphael dug randomly through his hoard of knowledge and eventually settled for pulling out a neatly stacked stack of papers. Using his unoccupied arm with a single swing he cleared the desk creating a even bigger unorganized mess, he looked like a crazy scholar in my opinion, the one that I always saw running  into everybody in the or around the library. Laying the papers side by side on the desk he began to explain his weird actions, looking down I saw symbols of ancient languages of the Gods I was surprised I could just understand them, perhaps it had something to do with Aurius?

 

"Of course it foes you foolish girl."

 

I kept my reactions neutral to the voice, thinking I was going crazy I forced myself to ignore it, despite this being the second occurrence within an hour. Raphael pointed to specific papers and various hand drawn pictures to his olive green sleeve dragging and catching momentarily on the rounded edge of the metal desk, "I found theses snooping in the cathedral under the castle, they where buried , preserved, rather well under some rubble near a sealed tomb, the tomb had the inscription if Aurius on it. Within the first few days of possessing this I quickly realized only us royals understood it, I didn't dare show Micheal or Gabriel  this, not only is this a death wish simply having these papers bore us but, I was nervous they'd leak news to Idieon. Like you said you saved my life so I can it trust this to you, you won't let this leave this room I'm sure, unless you want both of us to dead.  These documents are the biography of Aurius, his diary I journal entries I believe. From what I've gathered reading these weapons that all of us royals possess where actually once gods, once they died their powers where bound to their weapon and awaited to find there chosen Bit, it gets odd here this is written by two different people , you can tell if you look closely to the styles and word choice. I believe something different happens to these God's which happen to be Idieon's older siblings, I believe he's hiding something. What is off though they are all supposed to be dead so why did Aurius actually speak through you? You're the only one to my knowledge this had happens to. Our lord is hiding something and something big. Aurius being alive is dangerous we need to keep this keep him quiet because with what we both now suspect and know with probable evidence I bet Idieon probably wouldn't hesitate to make our sudden deaths a accident."

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I uploaded this using my tablet so I apologize in advance for any misplaced words, grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. My tablet uses autocorrect so things generally end up mixed up.


	3. Rembrance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some things are better left in the dark, just some things I'd rather not face or do. But, yet I must because if someone doesn't take a stand then we'll all die.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the continued hits, leave a comment or suggestion.

**Present Time**

* * *

 

The wind howled and whistled across the mountain top, scattering various debree from small shattered pebbles to decaying dried up tumble weed matter. Yet, no matter how hard the wind would yowl the mountain would not bow. It was a desolate cliff top she perched upon, the surrounding jagged mountains even more seemingly dead. The sun beat down harshly adding to the collections of spidering cracks that formed fissures in the baked desert land. She was perched like a bird on the edge of the creamy colored cliff. Hair shined a rich wide array of warm auburn colors in the lessening light of a sunset. The breeze was too hot and dry like her surrounding area and far beyond for many miles, as far as the eye could trace to. No vultures ventured over this accursed land, not even the buzzards where to be seen or heard. Her hands where wrist deep in the gritty sand mixture under her leather clad feet, boots that came knee high adorned with various straps and buckles for a wide range of daily uses. Wings where folded tightly, strictly, against her back side, awaiting the master's commands. Robes swayed in the wind, the deep covering hood dangling far over her face, reveling nothing but, the darkness casted over her features.

 

As the sun finally set behind great rolling hills of dust and sand the abandoned Saraha land was transformed into a dark oasis. What she was here for, to start partially at least, would reveal in time. Sooner or later it had to. But, for now she released the iron strong coiled tension in her muscles relaxing her stance considerably. At least in this current moment, being one with the shadows, would be a safe haven. The creature, the abomination was here, its rotten stench staining and tainting the air more so than it already was under the touch of the curse. Under the curse the land was devoid of all life, even bones, those who ventured here never ventured out. They became non existent disappearing into the hills of sand.

 

It was orders, no questioning the lord's word, you just didn't. This is where the internal struggle began in her, the white wolf grappling its counterpart the black, while the grey was to be caught in between. The white wolf inside obeyed like an obedient solider while the black demanded that the 'given' orders where wrong. Neither where right so she chose the grey, it valued innocence and life but, disobeyed direct orders in the same turn. Now as her brothers and sisters watched from an overview they thought her to be seeking the grotesque beast's freedom but, her thoughts and current actions where suggesting otherwise. Her body shifted to sit down, weight evenly distributed by instinct fueled from years of exhaustive exercise. The beast would be released from its binds if its name was only muttered upon the wind and the ropes cut by Aurius the ancient forged blade sheathed securely in its old leather scabbard at her hip. The grey wolf had reign in her now though, and its teeth where sunk into the flesh of her conscious deeply. It whispered words into the heart and mind if her essence. Whispers that drove her to slaughter the beast instead of releasing it, to prevent the first days of the end exactly before it began.

 

Grains of sand moved to fill in the crevices as she shifted to fully sit, her shadow mimicking her movements in the soft dim glow of a full desert moon. No clouds where in the overcast above her, the raven sky above clear and twinkling with bright stars like a peaceful pond. It was a perfect time for remembrance, so she thought back to a few nights prior, back to the orders given to start the beginning of the end.

 

**(Beginning of flashback, Two Suns Ago)**

* * *

Thunder clashed and roared overhead, the rain drops splattering the ancient gathering ground harshly settling to form puddles in its uneven surface. All noise of many walking feet dulled by the gravity of the storm and situation. Jessie watched from the top of the battling arena pit, her dark mocha wings half way spread to balance her lithe form on the skinny marble pillar. The arena was a millennia old nearly dating back to the time of all light and creation. Its once pearly white walls stained a permanent rusty red with age old blood and dripping with the fresh. This was not what her focus was though, it was her high brother Gabriel with the six other princes of the above, of Lelin, the heavens. All ranks pooled around the honored, battle honed, seven. Aurius glowed brightly a black color like a black light. She was being summoned to join the seven but, nil she was directly called she wouldn't come forth from the shadows which so carefully concealed her from their sight. Raphael's glittering mossy green eyes sought Jessie's cold blue ones and her eyes unconcuoisly softened, she made her move to come forward in front of all her gathered kin.

 

When the shadows released their whisky hold on her the gathered mass of immortal warriors quieted in their blatant display of respect. In her mind she knew the reasoning of the summoning of herself, wielder, carrier of Aurius but, her heart denied it with a furious burning faithful hope. A fire that burned with passion. Her feathers twitched betraying, only slightly, her inner struggle with the burst of anxiety of being in the light, being in the open. Gabriel turned to Jessie then, as they stood on the raised podium, the gathered watched eagerly from word of their lord. Gabriel with his long intricate braided hair, that was grayed from the weight of his status and duty, and his ling swallow like wings of metallic gun metal silver, was the messenger, the voice of their God, Idieon. His voice spoke gravelly and deeply in tone but, his eyes betrayed his burning dislike of Jessie . Micheal placed his scarred up sun tanned hand on Jessie's right shoulder while Gabriel's rested on her left.

 

"The humans have doomed themselves with their lust and greed. With their endless sin they Happily bath in. He is tired, the first flood proved nothing, it is the end. It is to end in fire."

 

**(End of flashback, Current Sun)**

* * *

 

Snapping back into Reality Jessie felt a twang of guilt and remorse mounting up like a tidal wave at what her heart bud her to do. Idieon was just and good in all his ways, with no doubt or questions. No questioning that but, this feeling that she first surrendered to was overpowering, every fiber of her being, her soul, bid her to go against the given demand and protect what was good left in a sin rotten world. Unwillingly she was sucked back into continuing her previous thoughts.

 

**(Continue of Flashback, Two Suns Ago)**

* * *

His Gabriel's words echoed around in my mind for a few seconds before fully settling in, everything seemed to click and it took all my will power and discipline to not gawk openly at him like a fish stolen from water. He needn't speak another word, it was silent in the gathering ground, deathly silent, the words 'this is to end in fire'', kept repeating, no stopping this. It meant war, destruction, and most of all death. As wielder of Aurius, the sword of rapture and essentially death, she was bound to carry out the start of End Days. End days, the days if darkness by using Aurius and her knowledge of the abomination's name to unleash the first plagues. Her order was simple, plain and clear, take her sword and set it free.

 

**(End of Flashback, Reality)**

* * *

At this time the sun had begun its daily ritual of rising warming the Earth's chilled surface. It was time, Jessie knew Gabriel was watching she prayed pleading Idieon that she didn't have to fight the experienced royal, even though she knew her prayer would fall upon deaf ears. The last traces of shadows fled with the dawn's first rays of sunlight and her pale milky skin was slit and warmed by it. She came to a stand the sand particles gathered on her dangling, stained, robe and boots retuning to their original place. She flicked her hood off welcoming the warmth the sun had to offer in all its glowing glory. Her wings snapped out from her backside spreading with practiced precision. They where proud, powerful in build, and rich in dark chocolate tones. Each feather delicate with almost hand carved accuracy of an odd artist. Each feather was a weapon, a dagger to be plucked if need be, stronger and sharper than any metal man possessed. The wind barely blew except for the scattering movement of sand. It was time her heart thundered and her lungs expanded, muscles taunt and ready filled with the flow of airline. Jessie crouched down bending her knees at a 45 degree angle and with a single thrust was airborne, free like the birds of prey. Mostly she glided along, her skeletal frame was hollow like a bird's but, reinforced with carbon fibers making her bones much sturdier and less susceptible to fractures than the average man. Here she neared to the entrance of the labyrinth, she thought one last prayer to hopefully be heard among the darkness.

 

"May you forgive my future actions I am to commit but, i'd rather be damned to the burning pit of hell than live eternally knowing I was responsible for the death of many innocents. I will try to my dying breath to save this world, even its sin bathed occupants for even though I was one of the last to bow down to humanity in live, I love them no less. For what is an angel for, if not to save a few souls? You made this heart and it tells me that killing everyone based upon the actions of many is not right regardless of what has been committed by the corrupted. So you may damn me and I will not fight your wishes, for I have conveyed my wishes and intents, and may I die a righteous soul."

 

She landed quietly outdoing even the stealthiest of owls in the mid day sun. Here the sun did not shine, it was like a shadow casted over the cave, a shadow of suffering and pain festering here like an infected wound. No clouds, trees, or creatures to cast the shadow it just was as it was. Three cautious paces forward and the entrance was met, dark and very dimly lit by a single black candle. Words where written at the ceilings beginning in the lintel of the entrance way, words where bewitched looking by the flickering the candle casted.

 

"Behold I am here, I have existed through the ages, for my being had no end."

 

Jessie moved on, her hands hovering over the daggers fastened, hidden, within the belt if her white assassin like robe. She was ready at a moments notice to take drastic action. This place messed with your mind, twisting and turning you around until you where so hopelessly lost it wasn't possible to get out. Mortals, humans, couldn't sense this place it was concealed from their eyes, to them it just looked like an ordinary hunk of rock oddly placed in a blistering desert. Only those with evil tooted within them could truly seen it for what it was. There was long lost, long dead, souls still wondering aimlessly around calling out to Jessie's angelic essence for guidance, a way out.

 

The door shifted earning the presence of the eight sword Aurius and reveled the gate of the shifting labyrinth, chains frozen in time binding for all eternity. There wasn't a need for torches angels had the natural light of Idieon in them. The chains whipped, sipping past her forward moving form, slinked crawling back up the cracking stone walls like a serpent before disappearing from thence they came. She kept walking forward steadily, one foot after the other, her white robe swaying gently with her quiet movements. The shadows hissed when her light touched them, running away.  footsteps echoed quietly as she finally approached and entered the ever changing maze but, something was off, something was wrong. Someone else had been here before her and very recently to. That was it, a small spark of panic erupted but, she squished it down before the panic could control her movements. The shink of a sword being drawn in the night filled cabin, was heard, it was discipline that was now acted upon.

 

Aurius burned a neon blue fading to black fire as it flicked and turned, burning scolding hot, hot enough to melt flesh cleanly off the bones with ease. Jessie took left and right turns, pausing every now and then as the maze shifted revealing new oaths to walk  and taken with each time. She knew she was close to nearing the beast by the smell of death lingering strongly enough in the stale air to taste. She came face first to the surrounding wall of the beast, grinding her sword securely into the stone beneath her feet to secure herself from moving on the next turn the  maze moved. It was hard to hide blatant disgust at the pulsing red veins covering the wall, their stems alive with the blood of those who died within in this maze of death. She left her sword in place pacing around the football sized wall listening and waiting for the next shift. As it shifted again she took to the air, summoning and grabbing her sword mid flight, skidding to a stop at the foot of the mountain of partially rotted corpses of angels, demons, and unfortunate mortals alike. Statues of minotaur, very much alive, eyes stalking her every moment, lining the stairway to the alter on top. The stairs where sticky, purely foul beyond words, caked with blood splatter on thickly like acrylic paint. Halfway up the slipping hazard stairs two armored bodies collided with Jessie's, sending her limbs and wings flailing out in awkward angles.

 

She crashed in a heap of white robes and softly falling mocha feathers. Using the strength of her battle toned legs she flipped back into a crouch, Aurius held lethally at her right side, her left armed with a golden black dagger hand forged by herself. Her eyes, cold blue, met two pair of fellow comrades. Before she could twitch and eye Gabriel's voice rang from in front of the altar.

 

"oh lowly sister, how I have waited to remove this thorn from my side. Where you so daft to think your actions would go unnoticed? But, you counted on resistance yes.... but, perhaps not my presence", Gabriel paused a wicked gleam of murder in his eyes.

 

He descended a few steps with an arrogant stride to him,, "You planned on dying righteous. How predictable", he ground out, his words dripping with venom, eyes sent on the intents to kill, to savagely butcher.

 

The two male disposables in front of her where the twins, respectable warriors among her ranking. One spoke up his calm mask momentarily shattered by grief, "Orders are orders but, it's nothing personal Vaxerica."

 

I growled at the sound of my actual name being spoken out loud, "It's Jessie!", I bellowed charging in for thru clean hunt.

 

Several times their scythe stroked millimeters away from my face and arms, a dangerous dance indeed. Finally play time was over as they childishly left themselves open, I closed in tight butchering limbs off of their owners and slicing through pale marble flesh  with chocolate  wings leaving the twins like the rotted corpses the alter and bloodied stairwell sat on. Gabriel cracked a grin like he heard an inside joke. He jumped down his mace sparking off the weather worn stone flooring. Grey wings twitching with anticipation, "Oh Vaxerica, how Raphael will be when I bare your head as my trophy. You would make a rather nice addition don't you think?." 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My tablet used autocorrect so some things will be out of place, I apologize for this.


	4. Steel Thorns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everybody always thinks they've got their own little world figured out, some such as I, forgetting there's a much bigger world out there. I thought I had it all figured out, nothing could surprise me, not the cold winter's touch or the vultures that gather around, and I was so, so wrong, in thinking this way. In reality I was further from the truth than I ever thought possible, just how much of what I lived and had lived by was a lie?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.N/ This story in all it's form: charcters, languages, names, places, plot, ect is all owned by me and purely fictional. Thank you guest for leaving my first kudo, you've made my day! As usual, I love seeing the continued hits and I hope to get a comment, my first one!

I lowered my stance only a degree in surprise before raising it up again, my battle face shining strongly through the sweat and grit caked all over my trembling body.

"Do I dare ask how the left hand of Lelin knew about Raphael and I?", I mocked openly smirking, internally with victory, when Gabriel's composure broke away to annoyance.

He took a few steps forward coming to a graceful stop, "Oh little bird Michael knew, and Michael's is incapable of lying to me." 

I inhaled once, twice, before lurching into action, enough talk. 'why delay the inevitable? One of us is sure to die or lie bleeding from injuries, there's no dishonor to be found in death, only dishonor in cowardliness. If I had it my way, which surely I am, I'd rather have my head a pretty mount above Gabriel's hearth than to die without a fight or cause.' It started yet, ended here in this moment as Aurius met Reile, the mace of whispering echoes. Reile was a solid white color, pearl tinted, engraved with the marks of secrets yet to be told and souls lost, awaiting to be heard. Rapture clashed against the left hand of Ideion and splintered down the middle, the ancient sword eventually giving in to its time and the abuse of Reile, shattering, filling the darkened prison maze with a blinding light and the silence filtered in to fill the silicened cavern. The only sounds being left where Gabriel's panting and the sudden stop of his mace mere inches away from Jessie's face. There wasn't any fear found in her face only peace, peace to be free from a life lived in the service and suffering of others. Gabriel leaned down to her level, he to, watching as the shards of Aurius burned up into ash disappearing and lost to the sands of time.

Once a piece of the eight was broken, its pieces where scattered randomly about over the realm it was broken in, in this case over the mortal's realm, Eudualne, awaiting to be found and possibly reforged but, only by the hands of the fallen in the deepest pit of hell's wraith. Aurius was the only sword, up close, that was able to free the beast. The other capable sword was given as a truce to the fallen, a truce of peace, beyond both Gabriel and Jessie's grasp in their current predicament. So now it was a race to steal away a truce, likely to cause another Urisin War, or hunt down the shards of Aurius. Gabriel drawled a brief moment and stood up his pearled mace in his waist belt. He kicked Jessie over on her back and whispered into her ear, "I cannot kill the only able wielder of Aurius but, mark my word little bird, the race against ticking time shall be fun, making victory against you so much sweeter but, surely your dear Raphael shall pay sorely for your disobedient deeds."

I heard the flutter of wings and the signal woosh, and Gabriel left my bruised and battered from, bleeding where I lie. I groaned rolling myself over onto my elbows and from there pushing myself to a slow and unsteady stand. My robes turning rapidly dark, covered in my own drying blood. Drums, and thunderous roars in my ears, the sounding of my furious heart. I had been at peace, fully prepared, ready and accepting of the fact that I was most certainty facing death at the hands of Gabriel but, I had been spared. I felt Aurius's dominant presence stir, deep within my essence, "Get up pathetic."

With his serpent like, spoken, words I arose. Aurius's voice brought back the memories of becoming the eighth royal wielder, or more specifically though, the downward spiral of reactions from that moment on.

[Dwelling in the Past]

She thought back to the conditions of meeting Raphael, and becoming his personal ward from the likely attentions of the other seven royals, by Michael's orders. Here it started.

[Mostly 1st Person Past View]

A few glances coming of the assigned medic area where easy to just pass off, to just look away and ignore but, when I entered the common mid square, how surreal it was now walking this place as a royal of high stature. Yet, when the glances turned to accusing stares and threats, one lowly , was actually bold enough to attack me! Shortly after they faced the wraith of Raphael, and most incidents where ended from there, most, the second attack though I was caught unawares, several where there, officers only ranks lower than myself where there to. I had only asked, why, internally then, and soon answered my own question milliseconds after. I remembered the pain, it was fresh on my mind, always to a point, I'd worried it would happen again. 

It felt like my bones, chest outwards, was being broken and ground to fine arcade powder. I screamed and flailed laying on the ground like a broken bird, and that's the second time I heard the buzzing, hissing, sensation that signaled Aurius was coming. There I stood my angelic innocence momentarily replaced by the very father, a god in his own right, of the fallen (or at least this is what history assumed Aurius to be). A masculine, dominating, quality pungent in the air surrounding her in a thick stench of black smoke and death, rolling around like the ocean's turbulent waves. Her eyes though, is what stopped the ganged assailants, piercing amber richly mixed with searing molten, accompanied by golden toned specks, nearly the eyes of a lion. When I spoke it was my voice, duel toned, echoed by Aurius's.

Her eyes pierced, darkened autumn wings slightly spread in a threatening manner, "You all have just reason to fear me. Think you god was the first?! No I was! Here I am bound but, make no mistake little birds, I am none the less capable of ending your pathetic beings out of existence." 

I paused, twitching my arms slightly, it was like being trapped within my own mind, beating against a glass cage of silence within my own mind but, none the less I was just along for the show.

"Idieon's pathetic attempts to encage me, he knew wouldn't last forever. This illusion of serenity and peace I'll see gone. Seek the truth and inquire of your lord and you shall know truth, go now little birds and do as I have said."

Here it started, not the meeting of Raphael but, the burning hatred and fear towards me.

[Back to Reality, Present Times]

Aurius's strength was bound in my veins, fueling my broken being to take the agonizingly slow steps to the alter upon the rotting bodies but, how? The vessel of Aurius had been shattered into fine jagged shards, he spoke within her mind fondly, "Dear one, my life was no longer bound to the sword the moment you become my chosen. You are my vessel, you are mine, and god's do not share what is theirs."

Atop the temple's rusted stairs, bound, was the grotesque creation of rapture. Moaning faces of the eternally tortured embedded along its under belly, groaning for help. Savagely ripped and brutalized limbs lining its mangled backside, each one of its four legs a different animals. One of horse, one of lamb, one of dog, and one of lion. It's head dress weaved of decaying, scarlet, flesh. Looking into its ghastly face was like looking into the face of humanity, looking into the face of a man, too human like for the scene. Yet, when the creature went to speak it was strangled, bound tighter by the golden ropes binding it. Aurius sighed and spoke to Vaxerica within her mind, "He was once my friend, my one true brother until, he betrayed me to my youngest brother Idieon, this is what I lay to those who turncoat on me."

Physically I cringed but, for once there was a drastic change in perspective, with a shred of light from the ancient past of creation. What more was hidden, covered up by lies in some old grand scheme? The bigger picture was realized, was our duty, nothing more than lies? I was already crumbled into nothingness, my world wilted away to show the face of uncertainty. Had I been manipulated all along to do my, Idieon's bidding?

"Stop this self pitying nonsense now child! Clever little bird, took long enough to discover the deception did it not but, none of that matters not now. You will fully understand within your time."

Suddenly my head was filled with absurd colorful flashes, "Relax and trust, I will shine a light upon all this confusion and darkness."

The beats simply watched, unblinking, as I was sucked within myself, viewing the past of god's. 

[Aurius's point of view, past memories]

 

This throne was tiring, the responsibility annoying but, more was on my mind than the usual. Idieon, the youngest, while I was the eldest and ruling god, always the creative one. He came to me yesterday with a race he wished to create in our own image, humanity. The universe was dark and vast as I meant it to be =, evil was first before all light. 

Idieon's eyes looked up hopeful, "Brother I don't understand..."

"Enough Idieon! Look into the face of your humanity and see the hole in their heart. they're imperfect, bound to sin. There is good yes but, few and far among, I say no, and that is final, they are not ready."

[Vaxerica's Point of View]

Aurius spoke then as he judged my reactions for himself, "The rest is simple, Idieon may mask himself as good but, he is as deceitful as I, the light of humans was not supposed to be. They where not ready but, Idieon took from me my title and pride, casting and caging me knowing eventually I'd come to him. They hated you with reason, fear is more powerful than respect now. I am you and you are me, there's little separation. Idieon was young, with a head full of dead flies, when he created humanity in a hurry failing to fix the flaw of their hearts, that greed and sin has filled. Now seeing his failure for himself, he intended for you to end it. He does nor now that, unlike the other seven gods, bound to the other archangels weapons, that I am very much alive. Now he knows because of Gabriel , our goals our mutual. Protect the innocent of this world, and end the corrupt. I propose we free ourselves from the collar binding us to Ideion."

Mutually I agreed to his dragging speech and acted.


	5. Burden Of Freedom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How odd it is to be free from a burden you've carried inside yourself for so long. What do you do to ease those phantom pains? Do they ever go away? It becomes almost sad that such heavy burdens I've become conditioned to carry, no one should have to deal and live with the knowledge I know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again as my last claimers have said, this story belongs solely to me in its entire form. Tank you for continued hits, and the kudo. I sincerely hope my story continues to please its readers, and if not, and suggestion and/or comments would be very helpful.

The only thing left to the vessel of Aurius, the sword, was the hilt with a jagged piece attached. Without the physical sword to cut the ropes, the abomination's binds would only be loosened, by murmuring its full name. I dropped the useless sword, pulling my bleeding finger tip back with a hiss, even broken it still was deadly sharp, as was the nature of Volin steel, and approached even closer to the mangled beast. I placed my hands upon his head dress, hiding back my gags at the stench and texture, murmuring his name, "Ile, UnAmen." 

The golden weaved ropes loosened and he was able to breathe with ease, Aurius spoke his mind then, "Leave this traitor as he is. This is all the mercy we shall show him, for all his actions, he and I both well know he is not worthy of the slightest bit of mercy. Regardless, he will swear us allegiance."

Aurius paused, explaining his train of thought, "If we where to actually capable of freeing him now, and we did, his loyalty is not yet to us but, my brother. If we hold his life and freedom, we have leverage over the circumstances, use it to our advantage. Bind him to us."

I couldn't disagree with such obvious logic, no point to either, Aurius would just force me anyways. I placed my hands from UnAmen's headdress to his...forehead I assumed, and bound him to myself. Our life essences combined and I was flooded with screams and moans for help, "Hold tight dear bird. See first hand was my personal advisor and head council did."

[Flashback of Past Times Before Creation]

Aurius stood against solid black marble, to a window overlooking the vast clouds and stars of his galaxy. It was a place of ripe and unused potential, of a endless nothing. His thoughts prompted a deep sigh from him, Idieon always was a source of many lasting migraines. He was young and naïve, never seeming to see beyond the consequences of his own actions, how the decisions of even a minor god could affect so many. The other siblings where not the problem, how could they be? They where not hovering over him, clinging on with a grip tight enough to strangle him!

UnAmen's bare white and red feet slapping against the carved elegant floor broke Aurius out of his silent musings. He turned to his trusted friend, a tall buit man of two races, in a way he was the united of them. UnAmen was a chimera, an unusual sight to behold, his right half of his body a bloody red like his fathering race, the fallen. He had rich raven hair cascading down in thick chunky curls. One horn of his like a ram's, curling back from his hair line and delicately ending behind his ear. The other of a dragon's arching back and up smoothly and ending in a fine tipped point. The ram's horn was segmented and a dark fleshy color while, the dragon like horn was a pasty silver white. The left side of his body was smooth and creamy moonlit skin akin to Idieon's angels. UnAmen was clad in a royal blue hooded tunic, dark enough to almost be mistaken for black. His hands where long and thick, fingers tipped with talon like nails. UnAmen was wingless, he didn't rely on the weapon of flight or the shield wings provided but, rather his deep knowledge of many areas, combined with his cunning manipulative ways made him a dangerous adversary to be feared...at playing chess.

Aurius broke in a smile, his own thoughts now proving amusing, he hand known his friend since he was a mere child sitting on his father's, Hade's, lap at the boring council meeting he so often attended. UnAmen was always bailing him out of the trouble that always seemed to find him. Even a man could admit that the chimera of Lelin was beautiful, Aurius's thoughts more often than not trailed to that unwelcome conclusion. 

UnAmen bowed, only to have Aurius laugh, "My dearest friend, how many times must I tell you to not bow to me?"

"Always one more time I'm afraid Aurius. I didn't see you at the celebrations, normally you're abnormally drunk on these occasions, and once again I have to rescue you."

UnAmen's sly smile wasn't missed by Aurius, he knew this man long enough to know when he was teasing him, "Very well. I have much on my mind but, you are right you're now designated to babysit me once again Ile. Let's go show our guests how to start a official drinking game!"

Aurius clapped his friend on the shoulder, slinging his arm around him, leading them both to the hall doors. He hesitated, lingering thoughts about his ruling responsibility left lingering on his mind, before throwing the hall doors open to announce his arrival. The doors where thick heavy stone slabs with roaring winged lions carved into their hard surfaces. As a god, a firm thrust was all it took to fling them open, hitting the other side of the wall with a loud clash, settling quietly. The nobles and other minority gods awaited him, lifting their drunken faces into contagious smiles. 

"Go my friend, enjoy the festive, just don't get to inebriated as I will likely need a babysitter soon enough." 

UnAmen held Aurius out a golden goblet clinking his together with Aurius's. Holding it up in toast Aurius took a sip and slammed it down at the head of the table. The party truly began then, drums beating with a natural deep bass in the background and dancers of mixed origins performing lucidly together. While his cheer was a believing act to Aurius, this was all rather dry and boring, not relieving to his previous headache. As the music continued Aurius went to the balcony overlooking luxurious exotic gardens below. What had bloomed from a heated argument with Idieon slowly droned into a halting stabbing pain, sensing something was very off Aurius went to turn around only to come face to face with Ideion, "Brother I had wished to speak to you, I apologize..."

UnAmen joined Idieon's side the door to the balcony way sealing shut behind them. Idieon's pure sky blue eyes filled with his notorious mischief, laced with a coldness unlike him. Aurius's mind already calculated what had been done to him, by his own brother none the less. He grabbed his goblet peering into the golden rim to see the left over black residue, tasteless, blood magic. He went to reach out dropping the goblet with a clatter, collapsing at their feet in weakness, betrayal written in his eyes, why?

Idieon kneeled down to his fallen brother meeting him eye for eye, "Simple I'm tired of licking your boots and living in your shadow. A shadow that consumes us all, in your greed and power ambitions. I loved her brother, and you killed her! I watched her die in my arms because of your own selfishness, it knows no bounds and now, now you'll know that pain, that betrayal bound to your sword for eternity. Enjoy your tomb brother, it was especially thought out for you, gratitude as Tnenel would say." 

Aurius gurgled out his last words, staving off the darkness in his vision and the chill that was encumbering his body, "S-he wasn't-t yo-ur des-stined on-e."

Idieon looked down cruelly as he stood victorious, "No she wasn't but, I loved her."

Aurius reached out towards his most trusted comrade UnAmen, in a last desperate plea of help, only to have him take a step back in obvious disgust, "All kings have their dawn and dusk Aurius, your sun has set."

Those where the last hollow words the traitor had said to him as Idieon took Aurius, in a poison induced coma and lay him bound, for an eternity of rest deep within the forgotten catacombs underneath the kingdom of Lelin. The poison had been brewed of white ivy and the blood of an innocent babe. The white ivy masked the blood and taste making it blend with the darkened wine to the untrained eye, and odorless, undectable till it was to late for the king of gods. White ivy was rare, the only to be found sealed away in the archive for times of war, it was a unique plant with a single, sturdy, upright white stem that curled at the top ending in a fragile black rose. Its trade mark, the black, lime tipped thorns laced along the stem of the vining plant. The poison was brewed from the leaves, and it was only reserved for war because of its potent qualities and the ability to induce the strongest of opponents, rendering in a helpless state of coma. 

Before Aurius gave way to the dark comforting abyss of sleep he looked to UnAmen, grabbing the ankle of the trusted councilor, a roaring red flame passing from Aurius to UnAmen, engulfing him in the pain of a raging fire that turned him into the abomination, "Ile UnAmen I bind you to be cast out and deformed, your prison the labyrinth you admire so, until time deem you free and worth while you shall be so." 

[Current Time, Reality]

"Now he is exposed, just as evil as I. He is our loyal servant once again, perhaps when Idieon is dead at my feet I'll restore UnAmen to what he was before. Learn from the mistake dear bird, I don't give second chances," Aurius spoke raw hatred lining his booming voice, "You little bird won't make the same mistake I'm sure." 

Vaxerica nodded to herself, having a internal conversation made one look crazy from another's view. Her wings dipped down brushing her sword hilt and flipping it skillfully into her dominant sword hand. She stood straight, rigid, grinding her teeth together and swung her broken steel quickly. With a flash of steel her wings fell against the stone altar with a wet slopping noise echoed out by a single sheer scream. When she collapsed she tumbled back down the stairs landing on her front side with a pained whimper. A light came from her body, momentarily surrounding her still form and disappeared with a bright camera like flash. So this is what freedom felt like, silence and abandonment. She felt truly alone, cut off from the silent buzz of her brothers and sisters, and the reassuring presence of Idieon. Then she physically felt Aurius pull from her, with his essence gone, she felt vulnerable and exposed like a raw nerve. 

Two bronzed hands, battle worn with the scars to match, thick pulsing veins popped out like winding rivers, rolled Vaxerica over. I felt my wounds close up with a itching sensation, the skin knitting itself together, and the pain was no more. Aurius pulled me to my feet with steadying hands on my dirty white robe clad shoulders. I took the time to truly study the actual physical Aurius for the first time. He was adorned with the most bronzed skin I had ever laid eyes on, not even the mass amounts of fallen I'd fought had skin such as his in hue. Strong angles and chiseled edges led to a pleasingly elegant face topped with the whitest silkiest long straight hair, eyebrows arching in a defining authoritive way. Eyes like glittering gold, peered into mine just as intensely as I did his, double horns on each side mimicking the water serpents of Lelin exactly, only richer in color and texture. A ring of fire burned above the arch of his horns barely grazing them with the warm alive glow and flicker. His chest was bare, exposing the well crafted muscles of a god. Aurius's lower half was covered with bare minimum armor, mostly thick layered brown leather a, unnecessary, loin cloth dangling held up by a simple buckle belt. He smiled wickedly at my utterly gawking expression, exposing a set of fine fangs gleaming lethally in his own fire. 

He curled his fingers under my jaw tilting my head up to meet his eyes directly under his searing gaze. I felt small and insignificant compared to him, in reality I was, nothing more than the fallen angel who slaughtered her own and fell willingly by my own hand. Aurius let out a feral growl, it came out like a lion's, fierce with no argument to be had, "Stop thinking such insolent nonsense! You are what I say you are! You are my chosen, you are MINE, a god at my side little lioness, roar with fury, with power."

I nodded, feeling uplifted enjoying this dark passionate moment of truth, I would hold onto this powerful moment, my dark glittering jewel. Behold I added in the stirring darkness of the labyrinth, "United we stand, divided we fall."


	6. Loving Burden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pulled apart at the seams and slapped back together, teleportation was an amazing sensation. Here we walked among an old forest, the heart of it was old and proud, but, sadly as all things do it was crumbling. The heart of a dead empire, its people barley clinging on to what was left, welcome to the weak embrace of Dra'Lathe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I had originally posted this hoping to get some review back, as I actually planned on trying to publish the finished piece but, do to a lack of it. This may be the last chapter I upload. As the only reason I bothered uploading it was to hopefully get some input, so I could change my story and/or make it better. So if you guys do actually want to read this, go ahead and let me know.

With a snap of his fingers, electricity enveloped us both, skittering across the coolness of the stone flooring and vanishing into the thick air like they had. My heart was stuck in my throught with a few rapid beats it settled back down into a steadier beat. It was an odd sensation, teleportation was, it felt like being pulled apart on a molecular level, stretched out, and then suddenly snapped back together all within a few seconds. This was true natural beauty, so unlike the foundations of Lelin, carved black marble, perfection making everything seem like a picture stopped for eternity. This was in a natural state of raw, trees many time the width of herself, hundreds of feet tall. Their canopies crawling out thickly, great branches intertwining, filtering out most of the sunlight. The rays of sunlight was few and far between, the forest alit with many glowing mushrooms growing out of the trunks. Carved and ingrained, each bark pattern different from its neighbor. The bushes rumbled yards ahead and out stepped a grand buck, his hide as grey as the finest charcoal, dark purple stripes lining down his back in three, accompanied by darker purple spots ending at the furry tip of his tail. His antlers were nothing slight of a miracle to be seen. His hooves where dainty and fine with a maroon ruby gleam to them, his rack was more tangled than the overhead canopy, curling around in uneven ways to form nearly a crown of his own, bits of moss from furs tangled in them. The proud animal stood still, pausing a moment and in the next was bounding back the way he came in mighty leaps and long legged strides. Aurius pushed me slightly behind his towering form, after all the time we spent shared within my mind, I trusted his actions, whatever the reason.

His molten eyes searching through the unclear vision the trees provided, only briefly, before relaxing considerably the coiled tension in his upper body released, " This my dear wingless bird is the last home of the elves Rislin, we are far to the west currently standing in their forest. Things have changed as I was in my forced sleep, the kingdom of man has conquered much. Why must mortals always tip the balance of things?"

Vaxerica rolled her stiff shoulders uncomfortably, the missing weight of her wings acting as another reminder to what she left behind. Was it truly worth it all? She willingly fell but, it was the only way to sever the connection to Idieon. If she got her wings back again it wouldn't repair the destroyed connection to her ex-master but, it would restore her to her 'former glory'.

Aurius continued to grumble to himself pushing through the lining bushes and further into the glowing forest, twigs and various debris snapping, giving under his muscular bulk. In the dark a light illuminated from him like he was holding an invisible torch, making his skin appear more bronzy than it actually was. I worried though, mostly for myself, Aurius was a god capable of defending himself but, me I was a wingless, weaponless, ex-angel left powerless since I broke the bond to my once lord. It was a nice change having my own thoughts to myself, for the most part, since Aurius had been freed. I decided to speak up, "Aurius am I to hide like a coward if the elves attack us?."

His replied chuckle was deep and rich, would've sounded evil to the ears of a stranger but, I had spent centuries with Aurius as company within my own mind, "Little bird as if they could touch you! We are bonded my power is yours, our life one and the same. In time I will teach you to properly harness it but, for now we search for the hidden valley of the elves. The rest will be explained when it's relevant. Just keep your eyes peeled, there are creatures here that will lead you astray and make you a suitable dinner."

To fill the silence Vaxerica pondered her situation, her path had become dark. What was she to do wondering aimlessly in the dark? Hours later the sun had set making the ever dark forest even darker and much harder to navigate, not only this but, Aurius had lead us in circles for hours on end it seemed like! My feet ached, I'm fairly positive I had red bloody blisters at this point, all adding up to a cranky women. Aurius had now given up now pacing in frustration, wailing his arms and hands about in obscene gestures, it was comical really watching a god, a dethroned king at that, go at it like a child throwing a tantrum. His nearly flawless features contorted into a twisted mask of ugliness frowned by mainly navigation frustration, white silky strands of long straight hair sticking up like a messy hay stack. 

Vaxerica leaned on the trunk of a tree, dwarfed by its massiveness. Seeing a rotting stump of a uprooted sapling, which was the size of a normal tree, she went to go sit on it while Aurius continued to pace himself mad and mess up his hair. Thinking she had missed all the things to trip she smugly strode up to the rim of the stump only to trip on a exposed root from said stump and fall arms flailing. Angered she got up with a half shriek half groan and glared at it setting it off in blazing flames, surprised she jumped back. By now Aurius had seen the whole scene played out, quiet surprised himself, I turned to him glancing between him and my hands, "I did that?!". 

He nodded giving me no other acknowledgement he preceded to his earlier pacing. I chose to take the chance to get off my feet, lounging lazily at the bottom of a tree, nestled in the crook of some huge, rotten hollowed out roots. It looked to be some animal's den once upon a time that was. I didn't truly care at this point it was just relieving to sit down, to get off my feet and take the first real breather I've had in hours, looking to Aurius I struck the obvious, " I thought you could navigate this forest Aurius, you know like the back of your hand?"

His face snapped towards mine with an unreadable expression on his face, he stalked up to me determined and then stopped to unexpectedly just sit in front of me, our knees touching, leather trouser against worn out leather trouser. He exhaled loudly in defeat, "Sadly your thoughts are correct little bird, I misjudged how much the land has changed while my presence was absent. We rest here till morning, no more fires, I don't want to attract unwanted attention." 

Silently Vaxerica agreed, too tired to resist when Aurius's light dimmed out, what little warmth to be gained lost with it, she let him pull her flush against his bronzed chest, masculine warmth pouring from him in searing waves. She watched curiously before letting the letting the dark abyss of sleep claim her, his eyes where the only visible things in the hollowed out roots. Two golden rings watching over her protectively as she slept.

The smell of burnt venison assaulted Vaxerica's sleepy senses. Greeted by the sight of Aurius over a roaring fire, pluming smoke coming thickly overhead of it, and finally him holding what looked like a piece of charcoaled stick with a poor excuse of cooked venison skewered onto it. I couldn't help but, laugh at his helpless and hopeless expression.

"I had rather hoped to surprise you with a decent meal but, as I've had it, clearly this poor sod can hunt but, can't cook."

Vaxerica was laughing harder now hands wrapped around to support her doubled over frame, back resting against one of the massive rotten roots, curved away fro the forest floor like it had been forcibly ripped away from its soil bound confines. Between gasps of air she managed to approach Aurius taking the crispy creature away from him setting it aside she replaced it with her hands on Aurius's shoulders shaking with mirth, "Okay royal chef next time let the women do the cooking alright?"

Aurius's lips came down, his hands gripping the small of Vaxerica's back, entrapping her in his snare. He bent down to her level, white hair falling loosely around the front of his face enveloping them both like a waterfall with many rapids running rapid. His thin golden-ruby lips nearly brushing against her full plump peach ones until, she backed away remembering Raphael. Also, the smell of a raging fire that had turned into a wild fire from their lack of attention to it, Vaxerica went to pull away to quickly beat down the flames but, Aurius's steal grip on her wrists held her still, "We're talking later."

"Later...we have bigger issues now", Vaxerica said her eyes pointing to the large escort of elves behind Aurius, arrows knocked and poised.

As if they fire hadn't been a big enough target, she didn't know what else was. Aurius didn't really seem fazed , gesturing for her to put her surrender down. She did watching stiffly for his next actions, a deciding fate for them both. He turned smiling wickedly with a cocky fanged grin, took the arrow inches away from his face and pushed it aside casually like removing a stick from one of the many trails they had both hiked upon only a sun ago. The fire had burnt itself out, decimating only a few smaller trees, yards within each other. It was a depressing thought to see trees that where probably centuries old die without reason, without care.

"You know it's such a shame that my sister Tnenel made elves so graced with beauty and natural skill, gifted with immortality such as myself do yet, made you pesky little savages living in trees like mere cave men," Aurius said to the leading elf, a broadly built young man of above average features.

All of them possessed long ears ending in dainty little pointed tips. For the most part their eyes where almost alien like, large and stretched out. Tribal tattoos marred their faces, each a different design. Possessing long proportions, tall enough to look Aurius in the eye, and he stood and impressive six foot three approximately, it seemed I was the dwarf at five feet seven inches. Long waist length hair, of various textures and colors, they all wore tunics, leggings, and riding boots like myself that blended in quiet nicely with the forests color scheme. Great sturdy yew bows, arrows knocked, and even more wooden slivers stored in the quivers upon their backs. 

"Halt you stand on the border of Rislin, home of the hidden valley, and kingdom of Camilian, last refuge of elves. State your purpose and designation." 

Looking to Aurius I quirked my brow upwards, "You dare speak to me an archangel with that tone and attitude?."

They paused at that, stopping with a few hand gestures, hidden meanings amongst themselves. A horn blew sounding a alarm but, more alarming was the un-animal like growl that sounded shortly after. Screams echoed not far behind, the lead scout holding them up screaming orders in the language of the elves, lucid and graceful sounding. The scout grabbed my hands personally, the others pushing a growling Aurius along behind us.

"You're coming with us. The shifter is not far behind, if you and your companion cooperate and come with us, we might all live to make it to the walls."

Aurius turned around, completely stopping, refusing to budge for the elves desperately attempting to move him forward, "No you will promise me your aid of my companion and in return I will deal with this shifter of yours."

"You have my word", the scout sighed, running to the nearest tree and pulling me up after him. The shifter flashed by a mass of brown fur and screams of the other scouts down below where heard. I ripped my hand out of the lead scout's steel grip, "AURIUS!"

I began to try and climb down but, the scout's sure grip held fast onto my wrists stopping my descent to the ground, "You can't go down there! It won't be safe for a day or two it know we're here, it'll wait as long as it must. It revels in the blood, the joys of the hunt, we are the unfortunate prey."

"You don't understand! If Aurius dies then so do I! Without him, without us, you're all good as dead. He's coming God, whatever you elves call Idieon by, he's coming to kill us all. We are the only things standing between Idieon and destruction."

The scout didn't relent in his grip instead he hoisted me onto his back with practiced ease and I had no choice but, to hold on or fall hundreds of feet down from the top of the tree, he set me down here hidden and safe for now.

"If what you say is true angel then as long as your still drawing breath then he is to. I'd wage he can handle himself especially since you yourself said you we're both here to stop a god. We elves don't believe I God but, the void that is if we die."

Vaxerica turned around leaning against the trunk, getting comfortable and settled for a long wait in the trees, "That's okay because Idieon doesn't believe in this, any of this anymore."

" So you're an archangel, you're royalty then princess? I believe your rather tall tail, you have friends in high places. I probably shouldn't believe any of this but, aren't angels supposed to have wings?."

"Yes we all have wings. I used to but, I cut them off so Idieon could no longer seek me out. That's part of the reason Aurius and I traveled this far West for your aid, he said magic, the elves magic could bring my wings back."

"Yes could but, with our forest gone it might not be possible. We draw our magic from the trees but, this forest is the last refuge of the elves. Man's greed knows no bounds, no ends, and we must all pay the price for it in the end."

Vaxerica hearing this grew desperate, " Please! I know you think this pathetic but, I need them for more than flight. All I know to do in fighting requires that I have them, without them I am useless in battle. I came here to stop the slaughter because I believe that there is hope even in the darkest of hours. I believe in second chances , people can change, man can change. I have sacrificed myself, my honor, if I fail in preventing a rapture I was sent to start then I fail myself, and I will not stoop so low again. Aurius and I are staking out lives on this, so please just help me."

"Very well princess, I'll rescue the damsel in distress but, for now we'll rest, stay low and play it safe. Tomorrow we'll venture to the lowest branches, I believe I saw some glowing Tniy there, I can use it for a salve. I'll bring your wings back myself but, in return I want to join and be a part of your quest."

"Join? Why, you do realize you'll likely end up dead."

"Why? Because every day more and more of our forests fall to the axes of men and my people with it. The council and my father toils behind their precious walls while, their people, my people die in groves. I'd be an idiot to pass up the chance to change that."

"Fine elf reason enough for me. If your my ally, your Aurius's ally. We protect our own but, I can't guarantee you live to see the end. Idieon's army will arrive in a weeks time, we'll need to work on negotiations with your council. We must all stand together if we wish to take arms and make it out alive."

"Good luck to you angel, the men will not see reason. We've tried treaties it doesn't work."

"Well elf you didn't have a angel and a god on your side then, you do now. Aurius and I will write treaties if we must, they'll either learn to respect us or fear us. Either way it doesn't matter, it's the end results that do."

"What makes you so sure of yourself?"

"When I was a archangel before I cut my wings. I was the eight royal, wielder of Aurius, death and rapture."

"But, wait isn't Aurius the horned man you where traveling with? How can you wield a man?."

"He wasn't always as he was, that is a recent development. He was bound to a sword until I freed him."

The scout nodded extending his hand to me in formal greeting I shook it, "I am Yean Scout Commander."

"Vaxerica but, you may call me Jessie."

"Very well..Jessie, get some sleep dawn is but, a few hours away. You'll need all the energy you can spare, come first rays of sun we move."

Dawn came to fast with a rather rude awakening by Yean, that was motivation enough to jump up and get moving immediately. On Yean's notice they headed down the tree, " Make no sudden movements Jessie, make it as quick as possible unless you enjoy being dead."

Yean had reached the bottom first, he was nimble and agile used to the ways of the forest. Unlike Vaxerica who was only half way down the tree as Yean hit the bottom. His eyes flicked rapidly searching the ground for signs of danger of the shifter, he plucked the mushrooms pushing them in his side pouch he began to madly scramble back up to help Vaxerica.

"Yean I'm slipping!" but, it was said to late for rescue Vaxerica fell, hitting every possible branch on the way down, limbs flailing about in sickening ways. Yean swanned dived after her once she passed him, arms outstretched trying to gain speed in maddening descent. His fingers brushed her feet and then his hands caught a grip on her boots pulling them both off. Yean's eyes flashed white as he yelled, "Signeay!". 

Vaxerica hovered in mid air, hair flowing about like in an invisible pond. Yean dropped down to stop beside her, sending spidering cracks across the invisible force. He looked up to see the shifter mauling down the smaller trees, raging furious and headed their direction. Her boots clattered down landing by them.

"Put your shoes on quickly I need to apply the salve! Oh hell!", Yean yelled applying it to the now opened scars on my back, while Vaxerica pulled her boots back on. The salve glowed a bright blue before disappearing completely into her wounds.

The shifter was nearly upon them now, "I need to chant the words of regrowth but, we need a distraction!"

"Aurius!" Vaxerica called out pointing.

"What?!"

"Never mind just finish up Aurius is distracting the shifter!"

Yean nodded frantically biting out his elvish words," Ca nalun Gereingh, nalun echo."

**Author's Note:**

> A.N - So as a warning I am aware there is probably spelling and grammer errors so please excuse those. This story in its entire form, characters and names included, are my property. This is my first fic on this site and i'm still adjusting to posting the chapters so i'm really sorry if the presentation is really poor at first but, I'll work on that. Any comments, questions, or constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated!


End file.
